Bruce Springsteen kicks off 2012 with new album, tour

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After 3 years of waiting patiently, The Boss’s legion of fans are being rewarded. Bruce Springsteen will release a new record “Wrecking Ball” on March 6, and kick off a world tour to promote it 2 weeks later. The tour will start in Atlanta on March 18, hitting 15 cities in 12 states before wrapping up in Springsteen’s home state of New Jersey on May 2. Springsteen fans who are attending South by Southwest music festival in Austin are also in for a treat–The Boss will be the keynote speaker at the event in mid-March.

“Wrecking Ball” is Springsteen’s 17th studio album, an incredible feat even for a legendary veteran musician. The first single “We Take Care Of Our Own” has received plenty of attention since its release. It is a politically charged song with the message “Wherever this flag’s flown, we take care of our own” and deliberate references to the failings of government to take care of us on the homefront, especially during Hurricane Katrina. Sources who have already heard the other tracks say that the rest of the album will continue with the social overtones and tackle the issue of economic inequality that has been on the forefront of everyone’s mind since the start of the recession 4 years ago.

The burning question on everyone’s mind is how the stage show will be different without E Street Band’s iconic saxaphone player Clarence Clemons, who passed away earlier this year after 40+ years of playing with The Boss. Members of the band have confirmed that saxaphone will be incorporated into the tour, but there is no information beyond that. There was no player listed when the rest of the musicians for the tour were named, and the sax wasn’t featured on Springsteen’s new single.

Tickets are now on sale for most of the dates on the tour, with the rest being released this Friday and Saturday. They are certain to sell out within minutes, so be sure to scoop them up while you can. This is sure to be one of the can’t miss tours of 2012!